Oasis Hong Kong Airlines is Hong Kong's first low fare, long-haul passenger airline. Starting in October 2006, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines will offer non-stop service to London-Gatwick for the same price as many travelers presently pay for a 1- or 2-stop flight. Flights to Milan, Berlin, Cologne/Bonn (Germany), Oakland and Chicago will be successively phased in during the months after we launch service to London-Gatwick.

By Tom ChesshyreIT’S Hong Kong for a song: the former British colony is about to get its first budget flights from Europe.

Tickets to Hong Kong costing &#163;150 return, plus an estimated &#163;106 in taxes, will be available from mid-October on a new airline called Oasis Hong Kong Airlines.

The airline, which says it is “opening up the Orient” to “budget-conscious travellers”, is accepting registrations from passengers on its website before tickets go on sale in September.

Oasis, which is owned by Hong Kong investors, has two Boeing 747-400s with 359 seats, including 81 “luxury business” seats. On each 12-hour non-stop flight from Gatwick, 10 per cent of seats will be available at &#163;150.

Traditionally, airlines have struggled to make the budget airline business model work on long-haul routes. However, Oasis hopes to overcome this with the extra revenue it hopes to make from its business cabin.

A spokeswoman said: “Oasis will offer low-fare travel with the same comfort and service you would expect from any airline.” The airline believes that people will fly to Hong Kong to go Christmas shopping now that fares have dropped.